So this is what it's all about!

gshisme

First off, let me say there is nothing like seperates to bring out the best in music listening pleasure. Secondly, sorry, no tubes in this mix.

Just finished a two channel listen after hooking up an Adcom 5400 two channel amp and an Adcom 700 outboard dac mated to a Philips 880 cdp used as a transport. This running through my H/K 320 receiver to my RT800i's and a JBL E250P sub.

To be frank, I'm a little overwhelmed right now. Not sure if I got lucky or what but the RT800i's were just beggin' for the amp, dac and cdp and they are struttin' their stuff in appreciation.

The mids and lows on Steely Dan's title track Two Against Nature were quick, solid and sounded so natural..even at low listening levels. Separation of instruments was instantly noticable. Fleetwood Mac's "Gypsy" brought out the absolute best in Stevie Nicks' voice...and just about everything else. Sibilance is gone....GONE! And then there is Jeff Golub's "(oh no) no mo yo" cut showing off some brass and woodwind performances...very detailed with the bass sax just blowing me away! Oh, and did I mention the clarity when the drum sticks hit the snare drum rim, the plucking of the strings on guitars, the bass drum hits.

I just can't say enough about the improvement of sound with the addition of the amp, dac and cdp. Seperates are the way. And for those that haven't experienced it...well... they don't know. No more multi-channel amps for this boy. Give me mono's or two channel amps any day. Well..in this budget class anyway. And I'm pretty sure the dac played a big role here.

And thanks to warlocks1 and DarquKnight for coughing up the cdp and amp respectively.

Oh, and I forgot to mention the cables..Cobalt interconnects on everything and SoundKing 12awg speaker wire.

Well I sound like a little kid here with a new toy but damn, this setup sounds sooooooo goooooood.

Either this is what it's about or I'm damn close.

Greg

organ

Awesome. I used to have a pair of 800i and they sounded sweet when I connected them to my NAD amp. They really enjoy the good clean power. The amount of bass those 800i can put out is very impressive.

Are you going to get a 2ch pre amp? Maybe you can go tubes for this. The pre will make a big difference. What you're hearing right now is the benifit of more power and headroom. The amp is amplifying the sound signature from your receiver's pre section. Of course, you're also getting a cleaner background, less noise, etc. Just don't be surprised if the improvement you hear in getting a dedicated pre is as much or greater than adding that amp.

Enjoy your system. Crank those 800i's.

Maurice

steveinaz

WELCOME TO THE DARK SIDE YOUNG SKYWALKER. MUHAHAHAHA

2-CHANNEL FOREVER.

My system is to the point where I'm enjoying it so much, I fear that something is going to break, have to be replaced, and I'll lose my synergy.

Scary, but true.

organ

Originally posted by steveinaz
WELCOME TO THE DARK SIDE YOUNG SKYWALKER. MUHAHAHAHA

2-CHANNEL FOREVER.

LOL! How long do you think it will be before he ditches multichannel altogether and focus on 2ch?;). 2ch is so addicting.

Maurice

steveinaz

Shoot, I thoroughly enjoy movies in stereo. Yeah sure, maybe if I had money falling out of my butt crack I'd put together a surround system for movie viewing; and then just have a dedicated 2-channel music rig. But my wife and I like to have the main music box in the family room, where it gets alot of use.

Mine is a "working" rig. It does time both with music and movies; but make no mistake---Music always comes first.

organ

Yup. If I had the cash and extra room, I'd have two systems too. But I can only support one rig and like you said, "but make no mistake---Music always comes first".

How are the Energy doing? Are they still breaking in? Can you still hear improvements?

Maurice

gshisme

Originally posted by steveinaz
Mine is a "working" rig. It does time both with music and movies; but make no mistake---Music always comes first.

As is mine. But I fear it is slowly turning dedicated...as in two channel. As far as tubes go...will have to wait till the cash flow increases a little on the input side. A tube pre...we'll see.

And organ's statement concerning cleaner background...absolutely. One day I'll get all this lingo down. And as far as improving the sound with a dedicated amp goes...holly shite, how much more can it improve?!

To the DARK side...bottoms up!

steveinaz

Ref: the Energy's:

I love them. Haven't been this happy with a pair of speakers since my 1980's era AR9Lsi's.

I would imagine the bass will probably loosen up a bit more, they usually do after about a month. The treble/midrange is already silky smooth.

steveinaz

Originally posted by gshisme
...holly shite, how much more can it improve?!

You'd be amazed...I thought I was there until I bought my Benchmark DAC1. 2-words: VINYL CD

heiney9

gshisme,

Glad you are enjoying your new system. I totally know what you're going thru. I called in sick to work the day after I got my DAC and had a listen. The detail is just jaw dropping, isn't it? And how about the tight bass and the extension of the bass? You will begin to hear things you never heard before. And experience things you never experienced before. Unfortunetly you may even find some "turds" in your music collection now. A poorer recording really sticks out like a sore thumb. On the flip side a well recorded disc sounds just incredible. It's taken me almost a year to get used to my system. It doesn't suprise as often because I'm so used to the sound. But when I don't listen for more than a few days and finally have time to listen again it still blows me away.

Enjoy it man because it only gets better the more you listen.

H9

gshisme

Originally posted by heiney9
Unfortunetly you may even find some "turds" in your music collection now. A poorer recording really sticks out like a sore thumb. On the flip side a well recorded disc sounds just incredible.

Oh man, how true! And I have never spent so much time in the "listening" room.

BobMcG

Congrats on the "new" system and welcome to the new level of 2-CH enjoyment. As you're discovering, criticle listening just took on a whole new flavor!

BobMcG

You know what you need to throw into the mix now don't you ?????














A BIG pair of SDAs !!!!!!!

2+2

Greg, glad you are enjoying the system. I forgot to follow up on your Steely Dan CD...No, I do not want it so I will be sending it back to you when I can get myself to the PO. Thx.
Daniel

gshisme

Daniel, No big deal on the DVD.

So what are your thoughts on the Yammy?

2+2

Greg...I really like the Yammy...thing is heavy, the build is awesome and I hope it lasts a long time like all my other Yammys (12 yr old CD, 10 yr old receiver). The DVD picture is absolutely fantastic, just like my Panny. The CD stereo sound is good, but isnt as airy or clear as my Music Hall or the DACs in the Rotel 1068...which was expected. But I like the sound of SACD.... Listening to hybrid SACDs, I can definately hear more info on the Yammy on the SACD layer but admittedly, the Music Hall has a wider, airier sound on the CD layer. I hope to try out the multichannel music soon. Anyways, its definately a keeper....thanks for a smooth transaction and a great deal...

Daniel

gshisme

You are welcome...enjoy.

Greg

P.S. Rotel 1068..somebody has been robbing the piggy bank lately.

organ

Good gear really does bring out the music better. I find that good gear brings out the emotions in your music and makes them sound a lot more involving. "Musical" system I guess and not analytical. However, I've heard good stuff that I'd consider analylitcal. Just gotta find your type of sound and it looks like you know what you want.

Maurice

2+2

Greg...yes...ever since I got my LSi15s last Aug., Ive been on the buying binge....darned speakers MAKE you spend $$$ tweeking this..upgrading that. (My RTis are a completely different animal and does not force me to upgrade.). The 1068 is probably the only piece in the sig line that I am not sure if I am going to have in the long hall. In fact, I have a Marantz 8400 on the way to hear what that sounds like and to see if I will like it better....peace....:)

gshisme

Originally posted by organ
looks like you know what you want.

And it was just a matter of finding it. And at a very affordable price at that. My rig is no "reference level" by any means but everything just mates really well. The variables involved in putting together "the" system is just incredible. But that is one of the cool things about assembling a system. And in that regard, I think I just got a little lucky.

The most interesting thing I experienced is that my system will sound totally different from one room to the next. Acoustics and speaker placement play a huge role in the sonics. You could have a system 4 times the price of mine and have it sounding like mud in my theater room and move it to the living room and have it sound like the sytem it is worth...and more. And mine sounding like mud.

Anyway, just got back from a music store that has quite the inventory of used music media with a full bag of the such. Needless to say I'm gonna' be holed up for a while in the "room".

BobMcG

My rig is no "reference level" by any means but everything just mates really well.

Synergy.